The present invention relates to a bridging mechanism for crossing railroad tracks, and includes a bridge plate that, by means of a pivot connection means having a horizontal pivot axis and being disposed behind the tracks, can be pivoted from an approximately vertical and upright rest position into an approximately horizontal work position in which the free end of the bridge plate rests upon a dock or platform that is disposed in front of the tracks, with the pivot connection means being disposed on a vertically upwardly directed support structure of a travel mechanism that is disposed behind the tracks and is guided parallel thereto.
Known bridging mechanisms require a considerable amount of free space and a relatively high ceiling above the tracks in order to be able to swing the bridge plate up so that in a rest position it is directed vertically upwardly.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to embody a bridging mechanism of the aforementioned general type in such a way that even in a building having a relatively low ceiling, the bridge plate can have a large span length